TOLEDO — The 2026 Greater Toledo Classic continues to build towards tournament week with their annual Media Day, highlighted by defending champion Mia Hammond who will compete at Highland Meadows Golf Club July 17-19.
Hammond, the 18-year-old standout from New Albany, Ohio, returns to Northwest Ohio after capturing the 2025 Greater Toledo Classic title.
As the defending champion, Hammond received one of three sponsor exemptions into this year's championship and will once again be among the players to watch when the Epson Tour returns to Sylvania.
Media Day begins with Hammond visiting families and children at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio, one of the tournament's charitable beneficiaries. She will then travel to Highland Meadows Golf Club for media interviews and activities before concluding the day with a special youth clinic featuring four Patient Champions representing Nationwide Children's Hospital – Toledo and ProMedica Russell J. Ebeid Children's Hospital.
Joining Hammond as sponsor exemptions in the 2026 Greater Toledo Classic are Ohio State University graduate Kary Hollenbaugh and University of Illinois graduate Anna Ritter. The trio will compete alongside a field of 141 Epson Tour professionals in the 54-hole stroke play event.
“The sponsor exemptions represent an important opportunity to showcase exceptional talent while providing fans with compelling stories to follow throughout tournament week,†said Tournament Director Judd Silverman. “We are excited to welcome Mia back as defending champion and to provide Kary and Anna the opportunity to compete in their home state of Ohio.â€
Beneficiaries of the 2026 tournament include the Jamie Farr Scholarship Fund of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity: Women Build, Nationwide Children's Hospital – Toledo, ProMedica Russell J. Ebeid Children's Hospital, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio.
Through the support of hundreds of volunteers and local businesses, the Greater Toledo Classic continues to make a meaningful impact throughout northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.
In 2025 alone, the tournament distributed $337,000 to five northwest Ohio children's charities and awarded college scholarships to five area high school seniors. Since its inception in 1984, Toledo Classic has raised over $14.6 million for more than 200 children's charities.
To purchase tickets or register to volunteer, visit ToledoClassic.com.
